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“Demmy!” Willow waves to me again. “Come swimming with us!”
I give her a regretful smile. “Wish I could. I’ve got a lot of work to do.”
And I don’t think I can stand up for a few minutes.
Clara says something to Willow that eases her pout and they walk hand in hand to the infinity pool with another quick wave.
I stare at my computer screen.
And then at the pool, where Willow waves to me yet again, all toothy grin and splashing fun.
At my screen.
At the pool.
Screen. Pool. Screen. Pool. And then…
Fuck this.
The only warning I give them is my encroaching shadow that covers Clara right before I cannonball into the deep end.
Willow is ecstatic. When I slice over to her, she squeals my name and wraps her little arms around my neck. “I wanna go in the deep end!”
I shake my head. “Not so fast, kiddo. You can’t swim.”
“I know how to swim.” She pauses and adds, “Kinda.”
“It’s that ‘kinda’ that has me worried.”
“But you’ll save me.” She turns her bright eyes to me. The unwavering confidence is almost unnerving. “Right?”
I know she’s just talking about swimming in this pool. But when I open my mouth to answer, something far more serious comes out.
“Of course I will. I’ll always be there to save you, Willow.”
Even if it’s from myself.
I look over my shoulder at Clara where she’s seated with her feet in the water, and all I can think is,I want her to wear that all the damn time.She looks like a dream, skin shining in the sun, water droplets in her hair catching the light and turning to a veil of diamonds.
Then Willow sends a wave crashing into my face. I turn on her with a growl, grateful for the distraction as I snatch her up and launch her playfully across the water.
And that’s how we spend the rest of our afternoon. Willow, our princess mermaid who has no shortage of games for us to play, splashing and laughing in the warm Fijian sun. Clara, sexy pool goddess doing her best to be a good, attentive mother while shamelessly flirting back every time I manage to cop a feel under the water.
I almost forget why we’re here. I almost completely forget all about Helen Cooper and Michael Little and Martin Patterson and all the other names I never wanted to learn in the first place.
I almost forget that Clara’s not my wife, Willow’s not my daughter, and this isn’t the life I’ve always wanted.
I almost forget this isn’t our happily-ever-after.
It’d be so, so easy to forget.
12
DEMYEN
“Hey, Dem?” Clara’s voice calls from the room next door. “What’s this?”
“It’s your suit for today.”
